Take note of tax refund slips, click only if you can read Chinese: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid...938120582934128

My first tax refund slip was properly taped on my passport and round stamp was within the slip but subsequently after that and yesterday's spending at Rinku Premium Outlet were all stapled and half of the round stamps were stamped outside of the slips. If this happens to me as well then I'm screwed because I travel to China quite often too.

japan's tax refund rate is minimum 5000 yen
which is easily reach, u grab a few item...u already over 5k yen
so u can theoretically separate your purchase if u want to

even at the same street, same drug store can be having different promotion or same item selling at different price
at least that's what i've seen...different owner i guess

I know, what I mean is not needed to stick on the passport.

It's there, after passed immigration. I detached mine yesterday.

After having travelled to so many countries and did tonnes of tax refund, Japan has the easiest way to refund but also the most untidy way to do it.

Ya, we also saw the cruise ship docking and both of us were stunned. My BFF is a PRC herself also can't stand them and kept pulling me to be away from the crowd. We avoided them by going to Glover Garden.

We didn't visit any atomic site but instead we decided on Penguin Aquarium last minute, it was a perfect choice!
Summarized translation: China Visa centre declined this lady's visa application because treated her passport as invalid. She went to our immigration to apply new passport again and was told by our officers we have the rights to reject people from doing anything to our passport. Her passport is considered as "passport rosak" and had to pay RM 400 to re-apply again. RM 200 for the passport and additional RM 200 for penalty.

It's not her first time applying China visa and it's her fourth time, previous three times had no issue. Actually she also admitted her passport has a lot of staple holes and half stamps because I think she's a third party purchaser and always goes to Japan to buy stuff on behalf of others. Her advice is we shouldn't let these shops to staple, and them to tape the slips instead and also make sure the entire stamps are on the slips and not half on slips and half on passport.

My opinion is not China immigration being an anal but the truth is her passport is considered void and invalid, even our Immigration officers also mentioned the same thing. I also don't know how, I have two pages with half stamps and staple holes and I really hope my next China visa application won't be rejected.

u no need to compare like a spreadsheet
first few days, walk around and enter a few drug store on the way
look at the items u wanna buy and remember the price

if it's like cheaper, just buy it
sometime standalone price is cheaper than after tax refund price(at other place)...u never know
the store at less crowded/touristy place have a lower price(but lesser variance)

actually no one outside malaysia practice price fixing, they're all used to something called competition
only malaysian wanna sell at the max ceiling price which is why we can't compete

u don't need to compare kit kat price lah
kit kat price is fixed everywhere
it's either 220yen for the plastic bag one or it's 800 yen for the box
the price is fixed everywhere u go(the only difference is flavour availability)
the price that will differ is the medicine, make up, skin care product

If you love that city so much shouldn't keep on going. If not it will become boring like me toward Japan.
Going so much so much until numb liao 

Mine 8 years 6 times consider OK lah
Yours 6 months 8 times it becomes resident city and no more tourist / visiting city liao 😂

I was in Kyoto from 13th to 16th Nov and it wasn't fully red yet, still a lot of greenish.

Next time need to plan a week later to go to Japan.

i was rather worried when we need to remove the receipts will damaged my passport pages.. haha 

japan is a country which is still not into eco-green yet. you get plenty, i meant plenty of plastic bags on every purchases you made.. 

i was in Arashiyama 2 weeks ago

and yes even without my edits, the leave colours are already changing

8Am and you are already at the attractions at Kiyomizu and Bamboo Forest?? What time did you wake up? 6am? Its like going to work.
Anyway... so jealous reading up on your adventures while I have to slog it out at work now.

Yup... Am looking forward to Kyushu and Fukuoka areas too for future travel. Hopefully the Japanese Yen will drop back to 37.3 so that it would be easier on the pockets. 
TBH I feel that going to Japan and Europe costs almost the same. With the exception of cheaper airfare to Japan compared to Europe/UK which is much further away. Costs of food, transportation and lodging are almost similar if you convert out from RM.

I bought my flight tickets to japan next year, only to know that it falls on the golden week. So had to start doing my planning right now. Was wondering, if anyone had encountered something like "The physical train ticket is not available on the following dates: 27 Apr-6 May, 10-19 Aug, 28 Dec-6 Jan".

Meaning there will not be any train tickets for Shinkansen Bullet Train?

I am in Osaka now. It's very cold here but people wear thin clothes whereas in Tokyo I think not as cold as Osaka but people there wear thick clothes. it's very windy in Osaka.

I found people here very friendly than in Malaysia. Only 1-2 people rude.

Planning for family trip for 8 (2 elderly folks) from 25th Feb to 28th Feb to Fukuoka. Do you guys think we should just travel around Fukuoka will do?

anyone knew if the Kyushu JR pass can be used for subway from Hakata to Tenjin?

I read from first page, too many to consume. 

I think I read until July/August's post only

I not sure how many hours one place took. So just see see how you guys planned it. Not going to fully copy 

Is it worth to explore places provided by Osaka Amazing Pass and Kansai Pass?

Going with family.. Prefer sightseeing and food exploring more, lesser on shopping

Must pay but most of airline already included inside air ticket.

Example from MAS

AirAsiaX booking system didnt shows so can't confirm.